P2 - First group meeting

In the first group meeting me and my group have decided the genre of our film will be "gothic" and came up with a rough storyline of our film which includes teenage school kids and the issue of bullying. 

We've came up with the story of a young teenage girl aged 15-17 witnessing a particular student being bullied. During the course of witnessing bullying in and out of her school she becomes interested in black magic. One day the bullies pushes the limit and the girl (lead character) decides to try black magic to inflict pain on the bullies. It works but the actions she makes reverts back to her. 

In order to keep the storyline within the genre we have researched the mise-en-scene to keep the gothic element. For this we looked at costumes and makeup to which we have decided to look for a prosthetic makeup artist to help with the look of certain characters. 

P1 - My initial ideas before group discussions

My initial idea of a horror film would have to have the element of fear - relating to psychological horror, combined with elements of the paranormal or supernatural.

Typical gothic horror movie would be set in the time period of the 1920's, 30' and 40's, usually in the countryside. My idea for the plot for my own horror film would include characters that are all female - setting the stereotype that female characters are the victims in horror films. Instead of setting it in the old time period it will be very modern but still adding an old element to it. The main character would be an average looking character that would draw off any suspicions and have a difficult life which reflects off in behaviour and attitude. For example, having beat down parents that are neglectful of their children causing their child/s to be weak and vulnerable.

R13 - Textual analysis of 'Maengwyn', short horror film: TITLE + CREDIT + SOUNDTRACK

                                    

  Maengwyn is a short gothic horror film which, "follows the story of two boys as they get caught up in a century old game, run by an unseen evil. The game is ever continuos, and ever spreading, with no end." This film was influenced by 'Night of the Demon.'

TITLES + CREDITS + SOUNDTRACKS

The film starts off with someone using their phone and diegetic music playing. The song that is played is called 'Maengwyn' by 'Lowkey Films'. This is an interesting and unique way of presenting the name of the film and production company. The camera then moves to a wide shot of two people in a car driving whilst the music is playing. At the end of the chorus of the song the film title is shown at 1.30s into the film. When this happens the background changes from green and road scenery to grey static (shown in image above) with 'Maengwyn' in bold, white writing. When the name disappears the music also stops. There is then an extreme wide shot of a cottage and it is completely silent. This is a huge contrast from the beginning of the film as it was upbeat, but now as it is quiet which creates tension.

                                    

18.10s into the film the name of the production company is shown on a burnt, ripped piece of paper presented to the character as a scroll. Again, a unique way of introducing the name of the film company. this then follows onto showing the name of the actors. At 18.35s it then starts rolling the credits of additional names. The non-diegetic music starts at 18.10s but this time the the music is downbeat. Even though the film shows that nothing has happened to the last character shown, the music connotes that something would've happened to them. 

The director choosing to present the title of the film twice in the beginning and the way the cast was presented is effective in making the viewer remember the name of the film and acknowledging the people that helped create the film. This helps me think of the creative ways i can present the title of my film to set the scenes and captivate my audience so they are drawn into the film.

R12 - Analysis of Black Sabbath and Crimson Peak trailers

             

Black Sabbath
From watching this film trailer I realised how much is differs from modern film trailers today. One thing i picked up on from the trailer was the narrator, differing from modern gothic horror film trailers which doesn't usually have one.  Also, instead of showing the horror it is described by the narrator and the name of the film and actors were mentioned more than one. This is effective to make the audience remember the name of the film however, i personally think it is unnecessary as it makes the trailer too long and keeps me unfocused. For a gothic horror film the trailer does include the elements of curiosity and dark aspects of goth. 




                          
Crimson Peak
In the beginning of the trailer there is a mansion, street lamps and it is raining. With this as the introduction it connotes that there may be horror elements to it as the setting is dark and looks isolated. The music is dark and sinister in the beginning but then goes on to play just string music. This infers that the film may be set in a different time period, as period dramas use string music. There is no voice over in this trailer, instead the narrative is told by the characters so the clips used would've been chosen carefully to give hints to the audience what the movie is about. The name of the film is mentioned at the end. This is effective as it will be the last thing the audience sees after being drawn in by the trailer. If it were to be mentioned at the beginning it's more likely the viewer would've forgotten the name of the movie. 

From analysing the trailers I've thought about what I would want to include in the trailer for my film, such as what shots to use without giving too much away and what scenes would hype the audience and make them want to watch it.

R11 - Textual analysis of three short films

                    

                   
From watching the three film I've been able to analyse everything into more depth. For example, how the camera shot and angles are used and hey they create an impact. This is something I will think about when it comes to filming.
 

Just Say Hi

Joannes Nightmare

Homey

R10 - How are films certificated?

"Films for theatrical release are normally classified by at least two Examiners using the published Guidelines. In most cases the decision is ratified by a Senior Examiner, but if the Examiners are in any doubt or fail to agree, or if important policy issues are involved, the work may be seen by other members of the Board up to, and including, the Director and Presidential team. Occasionally it is necessary to take specialist advice about the legal acceptability of film content or its potential for harm. DVDs are normally seen by one Examiner, particularly when they are viewing the DVD version of a cinema film which has already been classified. However, opinions from other Examiners may be required for more difficult works."

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification

The issues of discrimination, drugs, horror, imitable behaviour, language, nudity, sex, sexual violence, theme and violence are looked at when making decisions, also considering context, tone and impact on the audience. The release format is also considered. For example, a DVD at home could risk in underage viewing.

The BBFC rates theatrically released films, and rates videos and video games that forfeited exemption from the Video Recordings Act 1984, which was discovered in August 2009 to be unenforceable until the act was re-enacted by the Video Recordings Act 2010. Legally, local authorities have the power to decide under what circumstances films are shown in cinemas, but they nearly always choose to follow the advice of the BBFC.

Considering what my film contains this research has helped me decide the certification for my film which is 12A. Also, in general this has helped me get a clear overview of what is and isn't appropriate in each certification.

R9 - Audience Survey

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R8 - Hammer Film Productions (Case Study)

Hammer Film Productions is a London based British film company which is known for a series of gothic horror films. First founded in November 1934, Hammer is one of the oldest film companies in the world. It celebrates its 80th anniversary this year.

Hammer is synonymous with horror, after defining the genre in Britain with classics such as Dracula, The Curse of Frankenstein and The Mummy which spawned numerous sequels.
However only 1/3rd of Hammer films were horror! The company tackled other genres including psychological thriller, sci-fi, noir and historical epic.

Hammer has a back catalogue of nearly 300 titles, and a rich character canon including classic monsters, mobsters, psychopaths and surprisingly - cave girls.

The company has had a lasting impact on popular culture, paid homage to in all manner of releases from Frankenweenie to Jurassic Park and The Shawshank Redemption.
Recent output includes the worldwide box office smash The Woman in Black, critically acclaimed Let Me In and 2014 paranormal thriller The Quiet Ones

R7 - Sleepy Hollow & The Woman In Black - Film Poster Analysis

This poster is from the 1999 American horror film Sleepy Hollow. From the use of colours and the context the audience is already told what they may be expecting from the film. For example, the main use of colour in this poster is black. Typically the colour black is a common convention in horror films so this already indicates that this film is a horror. Rather than the colour representing the lack of light it can also portray evil. 

First glance at the poster and the one thing that stands out is the moon. This could depict that there is a supernatural element to the film as the moon usually associates with werewolves and vampires. 

In the poster there is a person on a horse but if you look closely you can see that the person is headless. This also shows an element of the supernatural. In possession  of the headless man is an axe. Another convention of horror films are the props. The axe could suggest that it's significant to the character, also showing that this "person" may be the antagonist of the film. 

The only colour apart from black which stands out in the poster is red, which is used for the title of the film. This immediately suggests that there will be blood in the film as the colour is the representation of it. The font connotes that the film may be set in an old era as it looks like it is handwritten. 

In a lot of horror film posters there are clues which suggests what is significant in the film. In this one the words, "HEADS WILL ROLL" leaves the audience guessing to what that may imply, as the biggest clue which links into that is the headless man. I think this film poster is a perfect representation to what gothic horror consists of - which is the constant use of dark colours and teasing the audience.

This poster is from the 2012 British horror film The Woman In Black. Focusing on the background, you can a see a cross which looks like a headstone with a figure covered in black standing next to it. This would link with the title of the film which would suggest the figure is the, "woman in black." The fact there there is what appears to look like a headstone but no grave could suggest that it is an intended grave for someone, linking in with the supernatural theme.
The colours used in the poster are mainly dark with a few lighting effects so the dark and light colours contrast with each other which may represent the good and bad which is often the convention in gothic horror. 
The title of the film is only white and in an ominous glow which could connote that there is also a paranormal element as the colour is usually associated with ghosts, spirits and the afterlife.

Overall...
From the posters you can tell quite a bit what the films may be about but as usual, the colours conform to the typical gothic horror to which the poster is overwhelmed with dark colours and the background is significant to the film's plot.

From analysing the two posters I've considered a few things when making my own poster for my short horror film. For example, choosing whether or not to have the main character on the front of the poster, what should be in the background (setting or plain colour) and how the wording should be placed. Considering the fact that my film is gothic horror I may go along with the idea of 'The Woman in Black' and have a background which links in with my film.

R6 - Drama Genre Conventions

 

This was useful to research and construct as I was able to go into depth about what something in my film might represent for my audience. So the way a character dresses can connote whether they're a teenager, young adult, old person etc.

R5 - 10 camera shots used in horror films

By knowing how each camera shots are used this helps me think about which shots i should use in my film and which will cause the effects and impacts i want on my audience. 

R4 - Texual Analysis of 'ABE' by Rob McLellan

In the beginning of the movie there is a short silence followed by ambient, non-diegetic sound connoting that the setting of the film is dark, eerie and abandoned.

Horror films consistently incudes the kidnapping of attractive, young women that are beaten, gagged up, tied up and being tortured to death. This film sets the convention of women being the constant victims in horror. The only factor that sets this film apart from other horror films is that the antagonist is a robot instead of a monster, psycho etc.

The colour schematic throughout the film (excluding the ending) is dark which is iconic in horror.The dress worn by the female character is pink which represents her innocence.

There are constant medium-close ups on the female and the robot. The difference between these two is interesting as in the shots of the woman you can see her expressions and get an idea of how she feeling. However in the shots of the robot the only way you can only tell how he is feeling is because of what he says, not by the way he looks.          
The use of the blood splatter sets the typical convention of horror, creating fear into the audience.

I think this is a useful analysis in regards to my short horror film as i can see what the conventions are of this film and how it might differ or be similar to my film. The mention of music, colour help me visualise how it might be included and used in my film.

R3 - Horror Genre Readings

“Walls that seem safe and keep the killer out soon becomes a prison keeping you trapped with the killer” – Carol Clover

Horror films are favourited by many because of the limitless things this genre of film can include, from disturbing killer plots to explicit erotic fantasies and relationships. But by far, it’s the thrill of getting scared, freaked, disgusted, scarred even which makes it exciting, typically what these films are designed to do.

American scholar Lawrence Grossberg presents 3 theories which discusses the relationship between genres. He states that “there are many way to define a genre as there are theories of meaning, but three are most commonly used. The first defines a genre by a shared set of conventions.” This involves lighting, camera techniques and the strategic use of sound. These are key to represent what horror films usually consists of. For example, low lighting, eery sound effects, point of view shot -  which is a commonly used camera angle. To instill fear into the audience these factors are extremely important. Without sound it would be difficult to impact a viewer if they were watching a paranormal film for example.

The second approach to the theories Grossberg outlined defines “…genre(s) as the underlying structure of values that the genre puts into play.” In films that include monsters and unnatural beings require a lot of special effects and heavy make-up. However suspense films such as The Shining horrifies the viewers by playing with their mind, a good example of an impact of a psychological thriller. 

“Genres are not simple and stable catergories… they are constantly changing… for example, making dialogue more like the ‘real world’ and introducing social-issue controversies… that had (or may have been preiviously) avoided.”

Grossberg’s third theory outlines the realism in many horror films because it is created with society in mind, thus scaring and shocking the audience from the fear created. Poltergeist for example was a film that was created at a time when the ‘unknown’ was being questioned. Contrasted between todays film which explores current issues such as the ‘end of the world’ and ‘life-killing diseases.’

R2 - Conventions of Horror Movies

By knowing the different conventions of horror I'll be able to talk about how I've challenged or adhered to them in my short film.

R1 - Sub-Genres of Horror

SUB-GENRE	DEFINITION	EXAMPLES	CONVENTIONS
Psychological Horror	Relies on the characters' fears and emotional instability to build tension.	-          The Rings -          The Shining -          The Exorcist	Often comes from reality and there will most always be a protagonist.
Gothic Horror	Very atmospheric type of horror, combines fiction, horror and romanticism.	-          The Woman In Black -          Sleepy Hollow -          Dracula	There is often wild landscapes and dimly lit, gloomy settings. Most likely there would be a damsel in distress and unnatural acts of nature.
Comedy Horror	Combines elements of comedy and horror.	-          Shaun of the Dead -          Fright Night -          Scary Movie	The main character in the film would often be an ordinary character who takes on the role of the hero. A general icon would be a character dying in a funny way.
Slasher	Defined by its common characteristic of having a minor plot and focusing on the killing and gore in the movie.	-          Scream -          Friday the 13th -          A Nightmare on Elm Street	The killer would often never be revealed but if so it is someone you’d least expect. The location would be quite and suburban and the lighting is mostly dark.
Zombie Film	Feature creatures that are usually portrayed as either reanimated corpses or mindless human beings.	-          Dawn of the Dead -          Night of the Living Dead -          Resident Evil	There’s most always isolation, location would typically be deserted, lead characters would always be a pretty, fit girl or heroic, fit guy. First person to die is the one who lacks intelligence.
Splatter Film	Deliberately focus on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence through the use of special effects and excessive blood and guts.	-          Texas Chainsaw Massacre -          Saw -          The Human Centipede	There is a lack of plot and order and storyline revolves around the gore and violence. Some films have a slight psychological aspect to them involving the antagonist being a psychopathic killer or just a psycho.
Supernatural Horror	Includes ghosts, demons, or other depictions of supernatural occurrences.	-          Insidious -          Paranormal Activity -          The Ring	Set in the home of the protagonist to establish a common ground with viewer. Typical sounds heard are creaking of a door or wind blowing in the middle of the night as to symbolize the entry of an unknown presence.
Teen Horror	Plot is based on special interests of teenagers, often revolving around a murder plot.	-          I Know What You Did Last Summer -          Jeepers Creepers -          Piranha	The villain in the film often gets killed by the hero in the end or disappears and ends up returning. A “deed’ or an action is done which starts the chain of events and narrative of the story.
Erotic Horror	Contains strong sexual content combined often with gore and always violence.	-          Bram Stoker’s Dracula -          Maniac -          Hellraiser	The evil character or “monster” in some films encounters a sexual relationship with an ordinary character

By looking at the different sub-genres of horror it will help me give an idea on what to be expected for my chosen sub-genre. For example, if i choose slasher I'll know that the conventions include the killer's identity remains a mystery.